Guided Structure Synchronization (PLM-WUI-GSS)

You use Guided Structure Synchronization (GSS) to transfer source structures from one application area, such as engineering, to target structures of another application area, such as manufacturing. The aim is to keep the target structure up-to-date. The system takes changes to structures into account in each synchronization and updates the target structure. Any differences between the source and target structure are displayed as conflicts with varying degrees of severity.

The system guides you through the structure synchronization process with a user interface that allows the following:

Planning the synchronization from the source structure
Monitoring structure synchronization and the conflicts that can occur
Resolving conflicts using predefined actions

GSS supports a continuous synchronization process. After an initial synchronization where no target structure exists, subsequent synchronizations are required after changes are made in the source structure in order to set up the target structure and to keep it synchronized with the relevant source structure.

Example Example

For example, you can transfer an engineering BOM to manufacturing and create a manufacturing BOM from it. You can transfer any subsequent changes to the engineering BOM to manufacturing by performing another synchronization.

End of the example.

The source and target structure form a unit and are defined by the synchronization unit, which also reflects how up-to-date the data is (see Synchronization Unit).

Integration

Guided Structure Synchronization is integrated in the PLM Web user interface (see Web User Interface of SAP Product Lifecycle Management (PLM-WUI)).

You can make settings for conflicts and actions in Customizing for Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) under Start of the navigation path PLM Web User Interface Next navigation step PLM Web Applications Guided Structure Synchronization End of the navigation path .

You can use enhancements to tailor the standard Guided Structure Synchronization to meet your requirements. For more information about the possible enhancements, see Customizing for Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) under Start of the navigation path PLM Web User Interface Next navigation step PLM Web Applications Guided Structure Synchronization Enhancement Guide for Guided Structure Synchronization End of the navigation path .

Features

You have the following options for synchronizing structures:

BOM to BOM (see Synchronizing an Engineering BOM with a Manufacturing BOM)
Product structure or product assembly to BOM (see Synchronizing a Product Structure or Assembly with a Manufacturing BOM)
Recipe to BOM (see Synchronizing a Recipe with a Manufacturing BOM)

You can start Guided Structure Synchronization as follows:

From the search (see Search)
You can use the quick search or advanced search in the Control Center to find synchronization units. You can choose one of the following object types:
- Synchronization BOM to BOM
- Synchronization PSM to BOM
- Synchronization Recipe to BOM
More search criteria is available in the advanced search, for example, synchronization unit, description of synchronization unit, status of synchronization unit, or last changed on date . You can branch straight to synchronization planning from the synchronization unit in the context menu.
From the work center (see Control Center and Work Center: Overview)

In the Work Centers Synchronizations BOM to BOM and Synchronizations PSM to BOM, you can display synchronization units you have processed as follows:
- Synchronization Favorites
  
  Recently Changed
- Last Accessed
You can branch straight to structure synchronization planning from the synchronization unit via the context menu.

In the Work Centers Bills of Material, Product Structures, Product Assemblies, and Recipes, you can go to synchronization planning via the context menu of the respective object.
From the master data object
- Material BOM (see Material BOM on the Web UI)
  In the material BOM, you choose You Can Also Synchronize BOM to BOM .
- Recipe (see Recipe Development (PLM-WUI-RCP))
  In the recipe, you choose You Can Also Synchronize Recipe to BOM .
- Product structure (see Product Structure and Assembly Management (PLM-WUI-OBJ-PSM))
  
  In a product structure object, such as in the product family, product view, product variant, or product item, choose Synchronize PSM to BOM from the context menu or the Synchronize PSM to BOM pushbutton.
- Product assembly (see Product Structure and Assembly Management (PLM-WUI-OBJ-PSM))
  
  In a product assembly object, such as in the product assembly header, choose Synchronize PSM to BOM from the context menu or the Synchronize PSM to BOM pushbutton.

Note Note

In the Object Navigator, you can display the synchronization units that exist for a material BOM or product structure and product assembly (see View Layout for Synchronization Unit BOM to BOM and View Layout for Synchronization Unit PSM to BOM). The system also displays the defined relations with change numbers, access control contexts, source structure, and target structure for each synchronization unit.

You can branch to synchronization planning from the object navigator as follows:

From a material BOM
Material BOM Options Display BOM to BOM Synch. or Change BOM to BOM Synch.
From a recipe
Recipe Options Synchronization Recipe to BOM
From a product structure
Product Family Options Synchronize PSM to BOM
From a product assembly
Product Assembly /Product Assembly Group Options Synchronize PSM to BOM

End of the note.